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R Praggnanandhaa has showcased his brilliance in the ongoing Freestyle Chess Grand Slam in Las Vegas. On July 19, the teen prodigy proved his potential after beating the world number one Magnus Carlsen for the second time in a rspan of few days' time. Praggnanandhaa's maiden win over Carlsen came when the former was 16, at the Champions Chess Tour in 2022. In the 2024 Norway Chess event, Praggnandhaa registered his first classical win over Carlsen. In this competition, Praggnandhaa outclassed the Norwegian in the quarter-final spot on July 17 as well. Talking about his latest victory over Carlsen, it came in classification matches.
In the day’s first match, the young Indian player forced Carlsen to capitulate in 43 moves while playing with white pieces. Praggnanandhaa made an impressive start as he created pressure on Carlsen to make a bold decision to sacrifice his queen for a bishop and knight. In an attempt to shift the momentum by move 18, Praggnanandhaa held his position firmly and by the 41st move, he advanced three central pawns and cornered Carlsen into a spot where checkmate became inevitable for the 34-year-old.
Praggnanandhaa to play against Wesley So for seventh-spot playoffs
After losing his first game against Praggnanandhaa, Magnus Carlsen made a fine comeback after winning five matches in a row. He outplayed the youngster tactically under pressure to qualify for the third-spot playoffs against USA’s Hikaru Nakamura.
Before beating Praggnanandhaa, Carlsen hammered India’s GM Arjun Erigaisi in the lower-bracket semifinal. Praggnanandhaa's next encounter is against Filipino and American Grandmaster Wesley So for the seventh-place playoffs. In Classical-rated matches, R Praggnanandhaa enjoys an upper hand over Wesley So (USA, 2751). He has bagged five draws and recorded a loss in only one match.
